📊 Gallup Poll & Statistics Practice: Immigration and Sampling

Background:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Thirty-four percent of Americans, up from 27% a year ago, would prefer to see immigration to the U.S. increased. This is the highest support for expanding immigration Gallup has found in its trend since 1965. Meanwhile, the percentage favoring decreased immigration has fallen to a new low of 28%, while 36% think it should stay at the present level.

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted May 28–June 4, 2020, with a random sample of 1,034 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Question 1: What variable is being studied? Is it a quantitative or qualitative variable?

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The variable is people’s opinion on immigration policy (increase, decrease, stay the same). It is a qualitative variable because it categorizes opinion, not a number.

Question 2: What is the population?

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The population is all adults aged 18 and older living in the U.S., including all 50 states and D.C.

Question 3: What is the sample?

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The sample is the 1,034 adults randomly selected and interviewed in the Gallup poll.

Question 4: Explain to someone who has not yet studied statistics what is meant by the statement:
"The margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level."

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This means Gallup is pretty sure (95% confident) that if they asked every adult in the U.S., the actual percentage who support increased immigration would be between 30% and 38% (that's 34% ± 4%).

Question 5: Write two different headlines for this news release:

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Anti-Immigrant Bias Headline: “Americans Split on Immigration: Only 34% Want More”
Pro-Immigrant Bias Headline: “Support for Immigration Hits Highest Point Since 1965”